Piezoelectric lighter



Jan. 26, 1965 T. J. BUlTKUs 3,167,687

PIEZOELECTRIC LIGHTER Filed Jan, 2, 1963 INVENTOR.

34 VTHOMAS J. BulTKus United States Patent Ofice 3,167,687 PIEZOELECTRIC LIGHTER Thomas J. Buitkus, 838 Lenox Ave., Waukegan, Ill. Filed Jau. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 248,981 3 Claims. (Cl. 317-83) This invention relates to electric lighters. More specically, it relates to cigar and cigarette lighters in which a liquid or gaseous fuel is ignited by a spark from a selfcontained piezoelectric generator.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a compact lighter having a self-contained fuel ignition system actuated by thumb or finger pressure. Another object of this invention is the provision of a lighter having a fuel igniter which functions without the use of flint, batteries, induction coils or catalysts. The lighter of the present invention consists essentially of a piezoelectric generator and actuating mechanism for discharging a spark across a gap in proximity to a Wick or gas orifice thereby igniting the combustible fuel.

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view, with certain parts cut away, of a wick lighter constructed to operate in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional View showing the burner portion of a gaseous fuel lighter embodying the ignition system of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated as applied to a lighter having a casing 1 of general rectangular cross section, the fuel chamber within the casing being filled with absorbent material 2 such as cotton or the like which is saturated with lighter fuel. The bottom of the casing 1 is provided with a filler opening sealed by closure screw 3. In fuel transferring contact with the absorbent material 2 is a wick 4 which extends through and terminates above wick tube 5. Mounted upon the casing 1 by support 6 is a snuffer 7 actuated by a manually depressible fingerpiece 8 in the manner of conventional lighters. piece 8 is provided with a plunger 9 which passes through sleeve 10 into casing 1 where it is connected to one end of arm 11 pivotally mounted at 12. The opposite end of arm 11 is mechanically linked by connecting member 13 to arm 14 pivotally mounted at 15 which in turn is linked by connecting members 16 and 17 to arms 1S and 19 pivotally mounted at 20 and 21. The free end of arm 19 is in engagement with transfer piece 22 in contact with one end of two stacked piezoelectric elements 23 and 23A. The ends of the piezoelectric elements are metallized at 24, 25, 26 and 27. The two elements 23 and 23A are completely encased or encapsulated by a resilient electrically insulating material 28 such as rubber or plastic with the exception of the metallized outer ends 24 and 27 which are grounded to the casing 1 through contact with the lever arm 19 and preloading screw 29. The inner ends and 26 are in electrical contact with a metal plate 30 which is connected by an insulated wire lead 31 to electrode 32 electrically insulated from the lighter casing by insulation 33.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention as applied to a lighter utilizing a gaseous fuel such as butane or propane. The burner portion of such a lighter comprises a fitting 34 provided with a gas orifice 35 through which the flow of fuel is controlled by a valve actuated by metal valve stem 36 which protrudes loosely through the orifice so as to afford a flow of the gaseous fuel around the stem when the valve is open. The protruding end of the valve stern 36 is in engagement with the indented Wall 37 of snuffer 7 which holds the valve in closed position when idle. The valve is not il- Finger- 3,167,687 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 lustrated or described in detail since it may be assumed to be of any known or appropriate construction for controlling the flow of gaseous fuel. Electrode 32 is positioned in proximity to valve stem 36 so as to form a spark gap between the ltip of said electrode and the side wall of said valve stem.

In operation, the user depresses ingerpiece 8 which lifts snuffel' 7 uncovering wick 4 and at the same time pushes plunger 9 downwardly against arm 11. The arms 11, 14, 18, and 19 coact by leverage to multiply the compressive force exerted against transfer piece 22 which imparts the compression to piezoelectric elements 23 and 23A. As a consequence of said compression, each piezoelectric element generates a high voltage potential which is stored momentarily in the metallized ends 24, 25, 26, and 27 which act as plates of two capacitors connected in parallel. Said capacitors subsequently discharge across the gap between the tip of electrode 32 and the rim of Wick tube 5 igniting the fuel held in wick 4. In a lighter utilizing gaseous fuel (FIG. 2), the electrical discharge occurs between the tip of electrode 32 and the side of valve stem 36 thereby igniting the gaseous fuel issuing around said stern. When manual pressure against fingerpiece 8 is released, the snuffer 7 returns to its idle position and extinguishes the flame. From the foregoing, it will be seen that the piezoelectric elements 23 and 23A convert the mechanical energy expended in depressing fingerpiece 8 into high voltage electrical energy which ignites the lighter fuel.

Elements 23 and 23A comprise two rods or bars of a piezoelectric material having a voltage-pressure relationship of approximately 3 volts per pound/ square inch or higher. In addition, such piezoelectric material should have a high energy conversion efficiency, high dielectric constant, and high compressive strength. Suitable elements may be fabricated from a lead zirconate-lead titanate polycrystalline ceramic piezoelectric material manufactured by the Clevite Corporation and marketed under the trade name PZT-4. This piezoelectric material is capable of generating a potential of 3000 volts when compressed about microinches. The voltage developed is proportional `to the pressure applied and may be regarded as appearing instantaneously. The proper voltage will be dictated by the spark gap setting between electrode 32 and the wick tube 5 or the valve stem 36. Various voltages may be generated by varying through leverage the compressive force applied to the piezoelectric elements 23 and 23A and by adjustment of preloading screw 29.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing and while various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A lighter of the character described comprising in combination a fuel receptacle, a burner mounted upon said receptacle, a snuffer overlying said burner, a manually depressible actuating member connected to one end of a lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, the end of said lever arm nearest the pivot being mechanically connected to the free end of a second parallel lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, said second lever arm in turn being mechanically connected to a plurality of successive lever arms pivotally mounted at points opposite to their input ends, the mechanical output of the last lever arm being connected to the input of a piezoelectric generator, conductive means for connecting electric output of said piezoelectric generator to a spark gap in proximity to said burner, means interconnecting said actuating member, snuifer, and piezoelectric generator to lift said snuler and expose said burner while simultaneously discharging output of said piezoelectric generator across said spark gap upon depression of the actuating member.

2. A lighter of the character described comprising a casing having therein a supply of liquid fuel, a wick arranged to be fed With said liquid fuel, a snuier overlying said Wick, a manually depressible actuating member connected to one end of a lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, the end of said lever arm nearest the pivot being mechanically connected to the free end of a second parallel lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, said second lever arm being mechanically connected to a plurality of successive lever arms pivotally mounted at points opposite to their input ends, themechanical output of the last lever arm being connected to the input of a piezoelectric generator, conductive means for connecting electrical output of said piezoelectric generator to a spark gap in proximityto said burner, means interconnecting said actuating member, snuifer, and

piezoelectric generator to lift said' snufer and expose said Wick while -simultaneously discharging output of said Ipiezoelectric generator across said spark gap upon depression of the actuating member.

3. A gas fueled lighter comprising a casing having therein a supply of gaseous fuel connected to a burner Vstructure through a fuel valve, a snuffel' overlying said burner, a manually depressible actuating member connected to one end of a lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, the end of said lever arm nearest the pivot being mechanically connected to the free end of a second parallel lever arm pivotally mounted near its opposite end, said second lever arm being mechanically connected to a plurality of successive lever arms pivotally mounted at points opposite to their input ends, the mechanical output of the last lever arm being connected to the input of a piezoelectric generator, conductive means for connecting electrical output of said piezoelectric generator to a spark gap in proximity to said burner structure, means interconnecting said actuating member, snuler, and piezoelectric generator to lift said snuffer and open said fuel valve while simultaneously discharging output of said piezoelectric generator across said spark gap upon depression of the actuating member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTSV RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD l. MICHAEL, Examiner. Y 

1. A LIGHTER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A FUEL RECEPTACLE, A BURNER MOUNTED UPON SAID RECEPTACLE, A SNUFFER OVERLYING SAID BURNER, A MANUALLY DEPRESSIBLE ACTUATING MEMBER CONNECTED TO ONE END OF A LEVER ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED NEAR ITS OPPOSITE END, THE END OF SAID LEVER ARM NEARST THE PIVOT BEING MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO THE FREE END OF A SECOND PARALLEL LEVERAM ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED NEAR ITS OPPOSITE END, SAID SECOND LEVER ARM IN TURN BEING MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVE LEVER ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT POINTS OPPOSITE TO THEIR INPUT ENDS, THE MECHANICAL OUTPUT OF THE LAST LEVER ARM BEING CONNECTED TO THE INPUT OF A PIEZOELECTRIC GENERATOR, CONDUCTIVE MEANS FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC OUTPUT OF SAID PIEZOELECTRIC GENERATOR TO A SPARK GAP IN PROXIMITY TO SAID BURNER, MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER, SNUFFER, AND PIEZOELECTRIC GENERATOR TO LIFT SAID SNUFFER AND EXPOSE SAID BURNER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY DISCHARGING OUTPUT OF SAID PIEZOELECTRIC GENERATOR ACROSS SAID SPARK GAP UPON DEPRESSION OF THE ACTUATING MEMBER. 